Romans 10:9 NLT: If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, YOU WILL BE SAVED!

Relationship Versus Religion

A relationship with Jesus is similar in many ways to marriage. When one gets married, they don't receive the "Marriage Religion." No! They receive a Person...a special lifetime relationship with their favorite person. Receiving Jesus is much the same.

Today many people try becoming religious. Many try to change themselves or "turn over a new leaf." People all over the world attempt to reach God on their own... in vain. And of course many try to change themselves without God's help. But the Good News is that you don't have to reach God. God has reached you... by sending His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ.

No human is perfect enough to reach God, so God the Father sent Jesus to reach us! He is "The Bridge" from Heaven to Earth. The sinless Son Of God hung on a Cross between Heaven and Earth to bridge the gap between God and Man caused by sin.

From Creation To The Cross

When God created man, He created him perfect and put him in a paradise garden called Eden. Man was in perfect harmony with God. And there was no human pain of any kind. Then Satan, a fallen, rebellious angel, tempted Adam and Eve, and they too rebelled against God.

This was the beginning of "Sin" which infected the entire human race. (Even creation was affected by this event.) From that moment forward man's sinful union with Satan's rebellious nature started a chain reaction of every kind of human suffering imaginable ...sickness, disease, birth defects, poverty, wars, famines, earthquakes, tsunamias, tornados, other natural disasters, hatred, selfishness, betrayal, murder, fear, unbelief, and the list goes on and on and on.

But God had a plan to redeem fallen man. He sent His Son who was 100% God but also became 100% man. Jesus lived a sinless life, healed the sick, forgave ordinary people like you and I, and demonstrated unconditional love for people. Then, as your and my substitute, He offered His body as a sin sacrifice on the Cross.

He was buried. But on the third day He rose again... the unchallenged conquerer of sin and death! After His resurrection, He appeared to people on many occasions, even to over five hundred people at once. Then He ascended up into heaven where He sits today at God the Father's right hand.

Got Life? - How To Receive Jesus Christ As Your Own Lord & Savior

1. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: "...for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God..." Accept God's Word, about this sinful condition of your heart, as fact. We’ve all got a sin problem and we all need the Lord!

2. The Bible says in Romans 6:23 NIV: "For the wages of sin is death...". Accept God's Word, about the penalty for your sin (Eternal Death and Separation from God) if you reject Christ, as fact.

3. The Bible also says in Romans 6:23 NIV: "...but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Accept God's Word, that there is a free gift available as a remedy for your sin, as fact. We cannot reach God, so God reached us, by sending Jesus as a free gift to us. We have only to receive Him. All it takes is a quality decision to accept this free gift! You can’t earn Him. He is a gift!

4. The Bible says in Ephesians 2:4-5 NIV: "But because of His great love for us, God...made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions..." Accept God's Word, that God truly and unconditionally loves you, as fact. Who in their right mind would reject a God that loves them no matter what? God wants to be our Father. He doesn’t want us to become more religious. Getting religion is NOT the answer! A personal relationship with Jesus is the answer!

5. The Bible says in Romans 10:9 NIV: "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Accept God's way to be saved, as fact. You must do two things to receive Christ: Believe and Confess. BELIEVE that He actually died for your sins, was buried, and has been raised from the dead. And CONFESS aloud through the invitation of your own mouth -- asking Him to be your very own personal Lord. Say His name aloud now, “Jesus!” Take Him as your own! Make Him Lord of your life! Life will not be harder with Christ – life will be happier… and more fulfilling!

Having accepted these facts from God's Word, the Bible, may I suggest you open your heart and talk to Jesus as candidly as possible. Just talk to Him like you would a warm friend. No fancy prayer required. Come to Him just like you are and trust Him to forgive you and make you a brand new person in your heart. Be sure to tell Him that you believe that God raised Him from the dead and invite Him to take control of your life from this moment forward. Talk to God aloud. The Father loves to hear you say the name of His only begotten Son, Jesus!

Now purchase an economical Bible in a version you can understand, and begin reading a chapter a day from the Gospel of John and the book of Romans. Email me at DrDan@devotional.net and I will recommend a good church in your city and send you some literature that will help you grow stronger in your new relationship with Jesus. Read my book, Welcome 2 The Father's Family. Also feel free to download any of my mini-books or posters at www.devotional.net. At this website you can sign up for my weekly email devotional that has nearly 2500 subscribers worldwide. Your email address is secure and you can opt-out at any time at the click of a mouse!